Tree pruning conundrum

[Puggit]

We live in a detached house with a border along the side to a neighbour's back garden. There is approx 1.8m between our house and the fence, the space is made up with large gravel. The roof of the house juts out with a soffit and gutter, probably 1m out from the wall of the house.

Next door have a mature tree in their garden, about 2m from the fence. Branches from this tree are beginning to overhang our house, and worse still, over summer have grown rapidly to cover up the flue from our fire.

I tried over the weekend to get up there and sort things out, but thanks to the overhang I couldn't get close to anything above the gutter (everything below on our side was cut and thrown back over the fence, in to their compost heap). We slept well despite the wind, as the branches weren't knocking on our bathroom window in the wind

The neighbour has pointed out on a number of occasions that he plans to take care of the tree, but nothing has happened, and I know I can't force him to cut the thing. I also know that he is liable for any damage the tree might cause to our house. Sadly lighting the fire is a real no-no as I don't want to set fire to the guttering with falling debris!

I've looked in to other ideas to get at the tree, and the best I can think of is towers: http://www.countyhire.co.uk/towers.asp. But - the gravel will surely make this a perilous task? There is no space in the neighbour's garden to put a tower as there are large bushes and the compost heap in the area.

Only other thing I can think of is a tree-surgeon and offer to split the bill with the neighbour...

Thoughts please?

[Laurel Green]

Can you not, with neighbours permission, climb up the tree and trim back the offending branches?

[dickymint]

No problem with a tower on gravel - Ask the hire company for some pads or just put some timber down. A foot or two of scaffold plank works well or some concrete breeze blocks.

[base]

Hire a Tree surgeon, i think this could be the easist option rather hiring towers etc.

[Cogcog]

Puggit said:

We live in a detached house with a border along the side to a neighbour's back garden. There is approx 1.8m between our house and the fence, the space is made up with large gravel. The roof of the house juts out with a soffit and gutter, probably 1m out from the wall of the house.

Next door have a mature tree in their garden, about 2m from the fence. Branches from this tree are beginning to overhang our house, and worse still, over summer have grown rapidly to cover up the flue from our fire.

I tried over the weekend to get up there and sort things out, but thanks to the overhang I couldn't get close to anything above the gutter (everything below on our side was cut and thrown back over the fence, in to their compost heap). We slept well despite the wind, as the branches weren't knocking on our bathroom window in the wind

The neighbour has pointed out on a number of occasions that he plans to take care of the tree, but nothing has happened, and I know I can't force him to cut the thing. I also know that he is liable for any damage the tree might cause to our house. Sadly lighting the fire is a real no-no as I don't want to set fire to the guttering with falling debris!

I've looked in to other ideas to get at the tree, and the best I can think of is towers: http://www.countyhire.co.uk/towers.asp. But - the gravel will surely make this a perilous task? There is no space in the neighbour's garden to put a tower as there are large bushes and the compost heap in the area.

Only other thing I can think of is a tree-surgeon and offer to split the bill with the neighbour...

Thoughts please?

Sounds like the problems our neighbour has had with his neighbour; promises but no action for 7 years. They have ended up emptying gutters/drains of tree crap and getting branches from behind their gutters every year. In the end they just got it cut and lived with the cost. The lazy neighbour said nothing not did he offer to pay.

I would outline the exact problems to the neighbour and a date by which he will get it done, and an agreement that after that date you can take action and he will pay?

[Mr GrimNasty]

You can't make him pay, there's no legal obligation per se. You do have the option of self abatement i.e. you pay/do the work.
And throwing the braches back IS unlawful, you are supposed to offer the arisings and the neighbour is perfectly entitled to decline, in which case you have the responsibility of disposal.

[Dogwatch]

Mr GrimNasty said:

You can't make him pay, there's no legal obligation per se. You do have the option of self abatement i.e. you pay/do the work.
And throwing the braches back IS unlawful, you are supposed to offer the arisings and the neighbour is perfectly entitled to decline, in which case you have the responsibility of disposal.

Yes you can trim the overhang back to your boundary then offer him the offcuts as said.But make sure there isn't a tree preservation order on it and also allow for a cut branch to spring back once the 'excess' has been cut off. If the cut end of the branch springs back past the boundary line you could be in deep doo-doo financially.

[Puggit]

Ladies and Gents, I give you the Telescopic pruner - much easier

[Laurel Green]

Puggit said:

Ladies and Gents, I give you the Telescopic pruner - much easier

Seems like a handy piece of kit - can imagine the need for safety goggles/glasses when using though.

[C&C]

Puggit said:

Ladies and Gents, I give you the Telescopic pruner - much easier

Out of interest, which model did you go for (assuming you've bought one already)?
And did it do the job ok?

We got one of these after seeing the tree surgeon we used to trim a large willow using one. They're pretty good for medium sized trees - use them on some apple trees etc... especially if you get both a lopper and a saw head.

[Pique]

You can get a 2-stroke pole pruner - much more fun!